The present invention is directed to devices for transferring liquid from a container and, more specifically, to a dispenser having a structure that increases the efficiency of liquid transport, that is easy to assemble and that reduces the admission of contaminants into the dispenser.
Dispensers are commonly used to remove liquids, such as shampoos or moisturizers, that are packaged in containers. The liquid is ejected from the container by repeatedly depressing and releasing the nozzle of the dispenser to transfer liquid from the container into the dispenser and out of an attached spout or spray nozzle.
Conventional dispensers have many drawbacks which impede the efficient transport of liquid. One example of a conventional dispenser 10xe2x80x2 is shown in FIG. 10. The conventional dispenser 10xe2x80x2 uses a ball valve 12xe2x80x2 to regulate the transfer of liquid between the container (not shown) and the dispenser 10xe2x80x2. The use of a ball valve 12xe2x80x2 increases the probability of misalignment between the ball valve 12xe2x80x2 and the aperture 22xe2x80x2 through which liquid is transferred from the container to the dispenser 10xe2x80x2. Misalignment between the ball valve 12xe2x80x2 and aperture 22xe2x80x2 results in reduced liquid transfer.
The conventional dispenser 10xe2x80x2 has a threaded interface 82xe2x80x2 between an inner surface of the dispenser body 16xe2x80x2 and a portion of the nozzle 14xe2x80x2 which results in a gap along the interface between the nozzle 14xe2x80x2 and the dispenser body 16xe2x80x2 when the nozzle 14xe2x80x2 is in the up position. The threaded interface 82xe2x80x2 is used to secure the nozzle 14xe2x80x2 in the down position (not shown). The gap caused by the threaded interface 82xe2x80x2 between the nozzle 14xe2x80x2 and the dispenser body 16xe2x80x2 increases the admission of contaminants, such as water, into the dispenser body 16xe2x80x2 and thus, into the container which can degrade, or ruin, the liquid contained therein.
A spring 56xe2x80x2 is positioned within the dispenser body 16xe2x80x2 to bias the nozzle 14xe2x80x2 generally outwardly from the dispenser body 16xe2x80x2. The spring 56xe2x80x2 is typically positioned between the aperture 22xe2x80x2 and a fluid receiving end 74xe2x80x2 of a tube 64xe2x80x2 that is attached to the nozzle 14xe2x80x2. This positioning of the spring 56xe2x80x2 results in a decreased volume within the dispenser body 16xe2x80x2 for temporarily storing liquid which has been removed from the container for ejection via the nozzle 14xe2x80x2.
What is needed, but so far not provided by the conventional art, is a dispenser having a valve stem that maintains a consistent alignment with a dispenser aperture to regulate the flow of liquid into the dispenser body, that has a nozzle which can be readily secured to the dispenser body in the down position without using a threaded connection along the slidable interface between the dispenser body and the nozzle, that biases the nozzle away from the dispenser body without reducing the available volume within the dispenser for temporarily storing liquid, and that has a structure which can be readily assembled.
Briefly stated, the present invention is directed to a dispenser for transferring a liquid from a container including a dispenser body having a first end, a second end and an inner surface. The first end has an aperture through which the body is capable of receiving at least a portion of the liquid. A nozzle is slidably engaged with the second end of the dispenser body and is capable of ejecting at least a portion of the liquid contained in;the dispenser body while the nozzle is being depressed generally toward the first end of the dispenser body. A valve stem is slidably disposed within the dispenser body in engagement with the inner surface proximate to the first end for movement between a first position and a second position. While the nozzle is being depressed generally toward the first end of the dispenser, the valve stem moves to the first position and substantially obstructs the aperture to generally prevent the liquid from flowing through the aperture. While the nozzle is being displaced away from the first end of the dispenser body, the valve stem moves to the second position causing the aperture to be at least partially unobstructed by the valve stem so that the dispenser body is capable of receiving the liquid. The valve stem and the dispenser body are configured to limit the motion of the valve stem between the first and second positions to linear motion.
Alternatively, the present invention is directed to a dispenser for transferring liquid from a container including a dispenser body having a first end, a second end and an inner surface. The first end has an aperture through which the dispenser body is capable of receiving at least a portion of the fluid. A nozzle is slidably engaged with the second end of the dispenser body and is capable of ejecting a portion of the liquid contained in the dispenser body while the nozzle is being depressed generally toward the first end of the dispenser body. At least one thread is disposed on a generally outwardly facing surface of the dispenser body proximate to the second end of the dispenser body and is capable of releasably threadably engaging the nozzle.
Alternatively, the present invention is directed to a dispenser for transferring liquid from a container including a dispenser body having a first end, a second end and an inner surface. The first end has an aperture through which the dispenser body is capable of receiving at least a portion of the liquid. A nozzle is slidably engaged with the second end of the dispenser body and is capable of ejecting at least a portion of the liquid contained in the dispenser body while the nozzle is being depressed generally toward the first end of the dispenser body. The slidable engagement between the nozzle and the dispenser body occurs between a generally smooth, continuous nozzle surface and a generally smooth, continuous dispenser body surface which are in complementary, slidable, facing engagement.